Apparatus for spooling heels



July 27, 1937. M. w. HOWARD APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS 5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1935 July 27, 1937. M. w. HowARD 2,088,475

APPARATUS vFOR SPOOLING HEELS July 27, 1937. M. w. HOWARD 2,088,475

APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS Filed April 18, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 maw@- July 27, 1937. M. W. HOWARD APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS Filed April 18, 1955 5 Sheets-sheet 4 Patented July 27, 1937 nir sr'rs l.2 @FICE APPARATUS FR SlPOLNG HEELS Application April 18, 1935, Serial No. 17,0l5

14 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of making Wood heels and more especially to a method of and machine for performing a certain operation in the making of such heels known as spool-ing. This consists in rounding and shaping the for- Ward portions of the sides of the heel adjacent would extend about 2 inches from the top-liftv face of the heel.

Wood heels are cut from blocks of Wood in such a manner that the grain of the Wood is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the heel-seat plane. In shaping the sides of the heel in what is known as the turning operation, a rotating form cutter moves along the flanks of the block from the front to the back on each side in succession, this cutter making a type of cut which can aptly be termed a Whittling or stroking cut over that portion of the surface extendingback from a plane defined by the Widest transverse diameter of the heel-seat face and the Widest diameter of the top-lift face. The Whittling cut is exemplified by the strokes of a pen-knife in sharpening an ordinary lead pencil. This kind of cuttends to stroke down the Wood fibers and leave a smooth surface. On the contrary, the action of the turning cutter on the portion of the heels surface lying in front of said plane is to pick up the grain instead of stroking it down. This is an objectionable action and often results in a rough or furry surface.

It is Well understood that the direction of cut relative to the direction of the grain is an important consideration in Wood cutting. As has been shown, the direction of cut has a marked effect on the character of the cut surface. It is highly desirable that the surfaces of the turned and spooled portions-of the heel be uniform in smoothness and quality so that adhesives applied thereto may penetrate and act uniformly over the turned and spooled surfaces and so `lat the thin covering materials often used may behave uniformly with relation to such surfaces.

Heretofore spooling has been done by scouring or abrading the heels on sandpaper Wheels or rolls. More recently, spooling has been done more rapidly by a cutting operation in which a pair of concave-faced form cutters cut progressively along the edges of the heel breast beginningat the top-lift end and ending Well toward the heel seat, the cutters being guided by the ttuned surface of the heel. When the spooling cuts are made in this manner, the surfaces left by the turning `operation cuts and the spooling cuts are different in character since the former are Whittling or stroking cuts while the latter are not. It is an object of the present' invention to perform the spooling operation with cuts of the whittling type so that the turned and spooled surface portions of the heel Will be substantially uniform in character. v

Demountable and replaceable top lifts for Wood heels have come into common use and on such heels it is necessary that the shape and size of the top-lift face of the heel be of the exact shape and size selected by the designer and that this exact shape and size bev maintained on all of the heels in the group intended to be capable of receiving such top-lift replacements. There are `often thousands of pairs of heels on which an exact shape and size of top is required, the success or failure of replaceable top lifts depending on the accuracy of reproduction of such shape and size on each heel top.

Where spooling is done by holding a heel manually against an abrasive Wheel, accuracy of size and shape of the heel top ispractically impossible to obtain. Likewise, when the spooling is done by cutters guided by the turned surface of the heel, any variations in the turned surfaces Will be repeated in the s'pooling. Such variations are liable to occur, particularly near the toplift end of the heel, due to the fact that heels 3 are turned in a jack having several bearingsl between it and the machine frame, and the toplift end of the'heel is the portion which is furthest from the jack supports. According to the present invention, the Ispooling cuts are reproduced accurately on the heels independently of the turned surfaces so that uniformity of size and shape of the spooled portion of the toplift faces of the heels is assured, and the spooling serves as a valuable check onthe accuracy of the turning operation, since the failure of the turned and spooled surfaces on a heel to merge properly at once indicates a variation in the turning operation to be corrected.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description, and from the` drawings in Which Figure l isa side elevation of myimproved machine.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, with some of the jacks removed.

Figure 3 is a front elevation, with the complete multiple jack assembly removed.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the jack assembly looking at the side opposite to that shown in Figure l.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a Louis heel before spooling.

Figure 6 shows the same heel after the spooling operation.

Figure 'l is a diagram showing the path followed by the cutters.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a manually operated modification of my machine.

The machine comprises a base Ii) having a shelf i2 on which a motor and speed-reducer unit I4 is mounted. A bed plate I6 is bolted to the top of the base l. A hinged plate I8 is pivoted at 2li to bosses 22 raised from the bed plate i6, to rock on a horizontal axis. The other end of the hinged plate i8 is connected by a connecting rod 2li to an adjustable-throw crankpin 26 carried on one end of the speed reducer shaft 28. A pivoted `connection between the connecting rod and the hinged plate i8 is provided by the pin Sil. Twin arms 32 are pivoted to the hinged plate i8 by vertical hinge pins 34. These arms are arranged to swing slidably on the plate i8 and are held in contact with the plate by their own weight and by lips 36 (Figures 1 and 3) which engage under the forward edge of the plate i8. On each of the arms 32 is mounted a motor-driven cutter-spindle assembly designated as 38, each assembly being adjustable relatively to its arm 32 about a vertical axis Mi. Each assembly 38 includes a cutter-spindle and driving means therefor, belt-connected motors being shown on the drawings for this purpose. The cutter-spindle assemblies are locked in the desired positions of adjustment by cap screws 42 inserted through slots 44. Graduations i6 assist in securing like settings of the twin spindles.

The arms 32 carry rollers i8 which ride on respective cams 5d, these cams being adjustably secured to cam carriages 52 by thumbscrews 54. The cam carriages 52 are slidably mounted on brackets |55 and are simultaneously and uniformly adjustable toward or away from the center of the machine under the guidance of splines 59 by a collared right-hand and left-hand threaded rod 55 which can be operated by hand crank 58. The carriages may be clamped in adjusted position as by thumbscrew 53. Tension springs 60 act toi hold the rollers 48 in constant contact with cams 50.

The cutter spindles 52 carry removable form cutters 64. Between the cutters a heel-top support 66 is located, this support being adjustable vertically by means of a bolt 58 through a slot 'iii on a support lever 'i2 which is rockably mounted on the bed plate i8 by a hinge pin 'Hl so that the support can be moved` into and out of operative position. The upper end of the support 66 is cut away to form a step 'I5 to be engaged by the forward edge of the heel top. The lever l2 is provided with an arm 'i6 carrying a roller 'I8 which bears against a cam 88 mounted on the speed reducer shaft 2S. A tension spring 82 acts to maintain the contact between the cam and the roller 73.

The feeding portion of the mechanism comprises a wheel 8e rotatably and slidably mounted on a shaft 86 which is journaled at 88 in` a bracket 9i! which is bolted to the top front surface of the bed plate I6. A setscrew 92 is provided to lock the wheel 84 against both sliding and rotary movement on its shaft 8B.

The wheelli is fitted with a plurality of heelsupporting jacks Sill, four being shown. Each jack comprises a jack plate 9@ disposed tangentially to the Wheel 8d and adjustably bolted theretoby a bolt 98 inserted through a slot IDD in a bracket member Illl which projects from each plate SB toward the shaft 86 and bears laterally against a side of the wheel B4. Each jack plate Q6 is tted with an adjustable front stop IEE, a fixed side clamp-jaw IM and an adjustable spring-actuated clamp-jaw H3G (Figure 2), cooperating to position and clamp a heel placed thereon. A disk lS, having as many radial slots Il as there are jacks, is carried by the shaft and is rotatively adjustable relatively thereto. A disk H2 is similarly carried by the shaft 8S (Figures 2 and 4). As hereinafter erf:- plained, the function of the disks i538 and IIZ is to determine the adjusted position of the several jacks 91., uniformity of adjustment of the jacks being facilitated by individual angular adjustments of the disks E88 and H2 about the shaft 85. After such adjustments of the disks it and H2, they must be secured so as to rotate as a unit with the shaft 85 during the operation of the machine. In order to secure the disks it?? and H2 in separately adjusted angular ren disk Hi8, but, as the disk H2 is not of the right size or shape for a similar slot, a sector plate H5 of greater radius is permanently secured thereto and made virtually a part thereof. This sector plate has an arcuate slot III through which the thumbscrew extends. When the thumbscrew is set up tight, the disk IIl8 and the sector plate H5 (and hence the disk II2) are secured in fixed angular relationship with the wheel 94 and the shaft B6, so that all of the elements carried by the shaft 86 then revolve together as a unit. Pins IlvB project laterally from the jack-plate brackets lI through the slots I lil in disk Hi8, the pins having a close running ft in the slots, and suiiiciently further to engage respective spiral cam surfaces Illl of the disk H2. As hereinafter explained, these disks and associated members facilitate rapid and accurate adjustment of the several jacks when the jack assembly is being set up for operation.

A stop bar E29 forms an integral part of the heel-top support lever l2, and is movable inte and out of the path of a series of abutments 22 on one side of a driving disk Hill which is fixedly mounted on the shaft Sit. A series of stud and roller assemblies IE5, one for each jack, is Y located on the opposite side of the driving disk lZli. These rollers are adapted to be successively engaged by a latch H26 transversely slidable on the end portion of a plunger E32 and yieldingly pressed toward roller-engaging position by a spring 29. The plunger lSZ is mounted for reciprocation in a housingv i3@ and carries a roller itil at its other end bearing against a cam E35 mounted on the speed-reducer shaft 28. A spring i3l acts cn the slide I32 to keep the roller |313 in constant contact with the cam E35. As indicated in Figure l, the plunger E32 comprises two parts which can telescope a short distance against the pressure of a spring E38, thus providing a yi-elding cushion for the driving stroke of the latch EES. The telescoping movement of vthe two parts is limited by'a pin llllron one of the parts riding in a slot lili in the other part.

A heel M2 is\ shown in Figure l in position to be cut. Another heel lill is shown in process of being inserted into the following jack. A third heel Efi has been spooled and will be discharged from the jack into the work basket when it comes into contact with an ejector bar I@ adjustably secured to the bracket 98 in the path of the heel Mii as the wheel 84 makes the next quarter turn. The breast of the heel engages the stationary bar |48 and is stopped thereby while its jack continues on to the next position. The heel is thus removed from .between the clamping jaws ll and IE6, and falls into a suitable receptacle (not shown).

In orderY to hold a heel steady and centered fothe spooling operation, a V-shaped support ll is adjustably mounted on a lever 452 which is pivoted at 551i to the bracket l which is bolted to the bed plate le by bolts E69. An operating bar 162 is pivotally connected to the hinged plate I8 at i6@ and is slidably inserted through a cross shaft iii-Ei in the lever 52 with a fixed collar i558 below the cross shaft it and coil spring lill in compression above it. As hereinafter explained, the support member l operates to clamp a heel nrmly against the support member Sii for the spooling operation.

To ensure accurate indexing of the jack assembly, the abutments 22 are successively pressed against the end of the stop bar l2@ by a pawl H2 pivoted at lll to the bracket Sii. The pawl Il? is pressed against the periphery ofv the driving disk lill by a leaf spring H8 and is arranged to engage successive steps H6 in the edge or" the disk when the stop lill is incontact with an abutment E22. The face or" each step VEB is preferably inclined for wedging action with the abutting end of the pawl H2. A hand wheel i253 is mounted on an extension of the speed reducer unit motor shaft.

In Figure 8 is illustrated a form of mechanism for positioning and clamping heels in place for the spooling operation, which is simpler than the automatic mechanism hereinbefore described. As shown, the connecting rod 24 is actuated by a treadle 38d which is normally held in an elevated position by a tension spring 302. The heel-top support 5S is bolted to a carriage 301i and is vertically adjustable thereon, the carriage being slidable forwardly and rearwardly in suitable guides on an extension 3% of the bed plate IS. The carriage is readily moved to and held in any desired position by an adjusting screw 3%. Pivotally mounted on the carriage 364 is a lever 310, at the upper end of which a jack 3l2 is adjustably secured. The jack is provided with e. bracket Bill which is clamped against the upper portion of the lever 3H) by a bolt 3l6 which passes through the lever and through a slot 3l8 in the bracket Bill. This permits both angular and vertical adjustment of the jack. To limit the outward swing of the lever 3H), a pin 329 may be mounted in the lower end thereof to engage a fixed lug 322 on the carriage 301i.

In setting up for operation the automatic machine shown in Figure l, it is necessary to adjust the several jacks 9d with relation to the shaft 85 so that each jack will be properly located with respect to the support members Ei and 50, when in the werating station, so as to cooperate properly with these support members. The adjustment of the jacks will obviously depend on the size and shape of the heels to be spooled. In readjusting the jacks for operation on a new size or shape of heel, the driving disk 24, if not in the spooling position shown in Figure l, is moved into that position by means of the hand wheel Iil on the driving motor. `Then the set screw 92 is loosened, permitting free movement of the jack assembly on its shaft 86 both rotatively and axially. The thumbscrew lili is loosened, freeing disks IB and H2 from `the wheel 86;. The bolts 98 in all four jacks are loosened permitting free movement .of the jacks on the wheel both angularly and radially and the breast stops H32 von the several jacks are loosened. One of the heelsto be spooled is pushed into the spring clamps on one of the jacks, and the heel and the entire assembly of jacks are turned over on the jack shaft until the top-lift face and breast face of the heel rest snugly in the step 'l5 formed in the heel top support t6, the V support 59 having been iirst lifted manually against the action of compression spring Il@ to permit the heel top to enter the step of the support, whereupon the support i5@ is released and is pressed by the spring lli) to clamp the top-lift end of the heel firmly against the step l5. Since the V support is central relative to the cutters, the heel will be centered thereby regard less of its size.

support. With the heel-seat end of the heel still clamped in the jack, the heel and jack can be moved up or down with the top-lift end of ther the disk. Since the radial slots H0' are sym? metrica-Hy arranged with reference to the shaft 86 and the jacks are counterparts of each otherand are symmetrically pivoted on their respective boltss, any angular adjustment of any-one of the jacks about its pivot 9B by relative movement of the disk Hi8 will result in identical angular adjustments of the other three jacks about their respective pivots 98. In other words, the function of the disk its is to maintain at all times a uniform angular relation between the Yseveral jacks and radii from the shaft axis 86 passing through the respective pivot axes 98. The next step is to rotate the cam disk H2 in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Figure 4, until one of its c-am surfaces l M cornes into contact with the pin l iii which is carried by the setup jack, after which the thumbscrew H6 is tightened, locking the three disks Si, |08 and The other three jacks are nowl H2 together. pushed in toward the jack shaft 36 until their pins U8 also come into contact with cam surfaces lill on disk H2, whereupon their locking bolts Q8 are tightened. VSince the cam edge H4 of the disk l l2 comprises similar and symmetrically arranged spiral contours engageable by respective pins H3, simultaneous engagement of the pins i E8 and the cam i ill results in equal radial spacing of the jacks from the shaft axis iii regardless of the `position of angular adjustment ofy the disk l I2 on theshaft B. These three jacks will The jack assembly, being freeto move axially on its shaft, allows this centering of 'i the heel on the machine by means of the V` now be located axi-ally, radially and angularly to match the set-up jack. The breast stop |62 of the set-up jack is moved into contact with the set-up heel and tightened, after which the other three stops |92 are adjusted to correspond with the rst one, suitable scale markings (not shown) on the jacks being employed for this purpose. This completes the setting up of the multiple-jack assembly. i l

It will be seen that the general plan of setting up of this multiple-jack assembly is to first loosen all of the adjustments, and then, with a trial heel inserted into the jaws of one of the jacks, the heel still held in the jack can be positioned in the machine for spooling, upon which that jack and the jack wheel are locked. Then the two auxiliary disks provide means for the instant like positioning of the other jacks. well understood that, in this class of machines, facilities ,providing for the quick and accurate setting up of a multiple-jack assembly adds greatly to the value of the machine to the user by reducing the idle time of the machine.

After the jack assembly has been set up for operation, the cutters 64 and their control cams may then be adjusted to perform the spooling operation properly on a sample heel. To this and, cutters of suitable shape to correspond to the profile of the turned surfaces are employed, and the cutter-spindle assemblies 38 are adjusted, if necessary, relatively to the arms 32 about the pivots 4! so that the form shape of the cutters will match the curve of the heel along the initial lines of contact of the cutters with the sides of the heel, the bolts 42 being loosened to permit such adjustment. Before starting experimental operation on the sample heel, the hand crank |58 is operated to retract the cam-carrier brackets |156 from each other so that the cutters will be sure to cut away less material from the heel than is required for the complete spooling operation. The machine is then started, with the sample heel in position, and this heel is repeatedly operated upon, the cams 50 being moved closer together each time by the hand crank 58 until the spooled surface merges smoothly and continuously with the turned surf-ace of the heel. The machine is now ready for use.

As is evident from Figure 1, the initial lines of contact between the cutters 64 and the sides of the heel, properly clamped between the support members @6 and |50, are in a plane approximately perpendicular to the top-lift face of the heel, one of these lines of contact being indicated at 33|! in Figure 5. The cams 5D are of such shape as to cause the cutters to follow paths such as are indicated at 332 in Figure '7. The horizontal components of these paths are produced by the cams i) which swing the arms 32, and the cutters 64 carried thereby, about the pivots 34 against the tension of the springs 6D, as the cutters move up and down. The vertical components of the paths are produced by the rocking motion of the hinged plate I3 which carries the arms 32 and the cutter assemblies, the rocking movement being caused by motion of the crank-pin 25 acting through the connecting rod 24. As a result of this movement of the cutters, they perform the spooling operation by true whittling or stroking cuts so that the spooled surfaces are smooth like that major portion of the' turned surface of the heel which has previously been shaped by whittling cuts made by the turning cutter as hereinbefore described. It happens that the turned surface It is' areas of the slender part of the heel, which `are shaped by the turning cutter when it is not making whittling cuts, that is, before the turning cutter has come abreast of the widest points of the top-lift face and seat face in each of its front-to-rear cutting operations, are approximately coextensive with the areas which are cut away by the spooling cutters. to the present invention, an effect of the spooling operation is to produce heels on the slender portion of which substantially the entire flank surface is smoothly formed by whittling or stroking cuts. The cams 5|! are preferably of such shape that the movement of the cutters at the moment of first contact with a heel, as illustrated in Figure '7, is nearly vertical, so that spooled surfaces merge smoothly with the turned surface. After the cutters have been moved downwardly for a primary spooling cut, they move up again along the same paths, thereby making a light finishing cut which results in an extremely smooth surface of accurate contour.

The machine is automatic in its action except for the insertion of the heels into the jacks. In Figure l, heel |415 is being inserted into the jack by the operator while heel |62 is being spooled. Plenty of time for the loading is thus provided and there are no dangerous mechanisms near to the operators hands. The heel slides easily into the jacks as the spring jaws need hold the heel only lightly, the cutting stresses that are not balanced being taken by the top-lift support 66 and the heel-seat breast stop m2. Heel |156, as shown in Figure 1, has been spooled and will be discharged when its breast encounters the ejector pin |48 during its travel in the next quarter revolution of the jack wheel.

The jack assembly is rigidly held during the pauses for spooling and loading by stop bar |20 in contact with abutment |22 and pavvl |12 in wedging contact with the angular face |16. The wedging contact insures complete freedom from looseness or play and also provides automatic compensation for wear. The diverging paths of the cutters above the line of contact with the heel, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, provide clearance for the heel as it moves down into the spooling position. The timing of the heel and cutter is such that the cutters follow the heel as it approaches its spooling position and engage the heel immediately after it has arrived at said position, the V-shaped support |50 being adjusted to grip the heel just before the cutters engage the heel. The movements of the V support are controlled by the movements of the hinged plate `I8 which also carries the cutter assemblies. The connection is so arranged that, as the cutters move up and down, the V support is moved up and down also but at a greater speed and through a wider range, owing to the different dimensions of the levers I8 and |52 which control the vertical movements of the cutters and the V support.

The indexing of the jack assembly is so timed with relation to the movements of the V support |56 that the heel to be spooled is moved into the engagement with the support 66 when the support I5@ is elevated, the latter being lowered to overtake the heel and engage it as it touches the support E55. Since the arm |52 on which the support |58 is mounted is rocked by rocking movement of the table i8 through the connecting rod |62, the support l5@ and the cutter 64 start their downward movements at the same time. The support lil, however, descends rapidly and reaches the heel before the cutters do. The table Hence, according i8 with the cutters and the rod |62 continues its downward movement, but, since further movement of the support |50 is p-revented by its engagement of the support with the heel, the result is to compress the spring ll. This presses the support IEE) firmly against the heel, causing the heel to be tightly clamped between the support I?) and the support 68 during the actual spooling operation which occurs as the cutters continue their downward movement.

The automatic action of the heel jacking and supporting mechanisms is as follows. Immediately after the twin cutters have completed their nishing cuts on the heel, the cam 30 acts through the lever lt, pivoted at it, to withdraw the heel-top support |56 from the path of heel |42 and stop bar |20 from its contact with an abutment |22 on the driving disk i243'. Then the cam I3@ acting on the slide |32 causes the latch |28 to engage a roller |26 on driving disk |24 and to rotate the jack assembly through 90 of travel to the next stationat which the heel |64 will be in the position previously occupied by the heel |42 shown in Figure 1. Prior to the arrival of the heel Nid at the spooling position, the heel-top support 56 and stop bar l2@ have been returned to their positions as shown in Figure 1 by the tension spring 82 acting on lever Eli in cooperation with cam S0. The pawl |22 reengages the surface H and cooperates with the stop bar |29 to lock the driving disk and the jack assembly against any movement while heel ifi/l; is being spooled and another heel is being inserted in the following jack.

The cam 8E) is arranged to push the slide |32 toward the driving disk 22 slightly further than necessary to bring the abutment |22 into contact with the stop bar |2ll. This surplus movement is cushioned by the compression spring |32 to prevent objectionabie pressures being set up between the latch |28 and the rollers B2S. The object of the surplus movement is to insure the rm seating of the abutment |22 against the end of the bar d20, and that the paWl |12 will follow in on the inclined surface HS to maintain in said iirm seating during the spooling of the heel. This device also provides automatic compensation for wear on all of the parts acting to move the jack assembly from station to station and to hold the assembly rigidly atisaid stations. The spring i3! acts to return the slide |32 and the latch |28 into operating engagement with the next roller |26 while the spooling of the heel is occurring.

This organization as described provides simple but effective means for the safe handling of heels into the multiple jacks, the rapid but precise moving of the heels into the spooling pcsition, and the subsequent discharge of the spooled heels into a receptacle, all fully automatic except for loading, which occurs while the jack is standing still and at a safe distance from the cutters and other dangerous mechanisms.

The operation of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 8 is as follows. jack while the latter is swung out as indicated in dotted lines. Then the heel, still held in the jack by the hand, is swung into the spooling position as shown by the full-line drawings, Whereupon the pedal 3BG is pressed down and released to reciprocate the connecting rod 24, thus clamping, spooling and releasing the heel. The heel and jack, held all the while by the hand, are

then pulled back to the loading position, the

A heel is placed in thev 5 spooled heel is withdrawn from the jack, and a new one inserted.

It will be understood that the invention is notv limited to the exact constructions shown and that deviations may be made therefrom without l. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of spaced movable rotary cutters, a support, means for clamping a heel onsaid support, and means for moving said cutters through a cutting stroke in simultaneous engagement with theheel, said stroke being in a direction approximately perpendicular to the general heightwise axis of the heel.

2. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of movable spaced rotary cutters, a pair of adjustably fixed spaced cams, a support, means for clamping a heel .on the support, and means for moving said cutters through a cutting stroke under the guidance of said cams in'simultaneous engagement with the heel.

3. A machine of the classdescribed, comprising a pair or spaced movable rotary cutters, a pair of adjustable spaced cams, a support, means for clamping a heel on said support, and means for moving said cutters under the guidance of said cams into simultaneous engagement with the flanks of the heel, the movement being from the back toward the front of the heel.

4. Mechanism for spooling a turned wood heel, comprising a pair of spaced movable convexform rotary cutters, corresponding in part to the shape of the heel-'turning cutters, a support, means for clamping a heel on said support, and means for moving said cutters into simultaneous engagement with the heel, said engagement in its initial stage being tangent to the turned surface.

5. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of spaced movable rotary convex-form cutters, a heel holder, means for moving said cutters into simultaneous engagement With the heel, and means independent of the heel for controlling the path of movement of the cutters during said engagement.

6. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of cutters, means for clamping a heel near its top-lift end, means for gripping the seat end of the heel, means for moving said gripping means to move a heel into and out of clamping position while gripped thereby, and means for causing relative movement between said cutters and said clamping means for operation on a heel held by said clamping means.

'7. A machine of the class described, comprising means for gripping a heel at its seat end, means for actuating said gripping means to move a heel into and out of an operating position While gripped by said gripping means, clamping means for seizing a heel near its top-lift end when in said operating position, and means for Ycutting said heel while held by said gripping means and clamping means.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a heel support actuable to clamp a heel in position for a cutting operation thereon, and means for feeding heels step-by-step from a loading station into position on said support and from said support to a discharge station, said feeding means comprising a shaft, a circular series of heel holders revolvable simultaneously about the axis of said shaft to4 bring said holders y support for cooperation therewith, means actuable to adjust the holder in said adjacent position, and means facilitating similar adjustments of the other holders.

9. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of cutters, an intermittently rotating wheel having a series of heel-holding jacks and a corresponding number of cycles of movement separated by resting periods in each complete rotation, automatic means for causing the cutters to spool a heel during the resting period, and automatic means for ejecting the spooled heel during the cycle of movement.

1G. In a machine for performing a cutting operation on wood heels, heel-feeding mechanism comprising a shaft, a circular series of adjustable heel holders symmetrically arranged about said shaft, means for maintaining uniform adjustable angularity of the several holders relative to radii thereto from the axis of said shaft, and cam means for facilitating uniformity of radial adjustment of said holders with respect to said shaft.

11. A machine of the class described', comprising a pair of spaced movable cutters, a heel support adapted to hold a heel in operative relation to said cutters, and means for feeding heels into and out of position on said support, said feeding means including a rotatable wheel, a series of heel holders adjustably mounted on said wheel, means for imparting step-by-step rotation to said wheel to bring heels carried by said holders into position to be operated on by said cutters, and means for moving said cutters along their cutting paths during each dwell in the rotation of said. wheel.

12. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of spaced movable convex-form rotary cutters, corresponding in part to the shape of the heel-turning cutters, a heel holder, means for moving said cutters into simultaneous engagement with the flanks of a heel held by said holder, and means for guiding the cutters along predetermined paths in such a manner as to cut progressively along the side margins of the toplift face of the heel, whereby the resulting contour of the top-lift face is independent of the shape of the cutters.

13. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of spaced movable rotary form cutters corresponding in part to the shape of the heelturning cutters, a support, means for clamping a heel on said support, and means for moving said cutters into simultaneous tangential engagement with the turned anks of the heel and for guiding the cutters to progress along the side margins of the top-lift face of the heel, whereby the resulting contour of the top-lift face is independent of the shape of the cutters.

14. A machine of the class described, comprising a pair of spaced movable convex-form rotary cutters, means for varying the angular relation of the cutter axes to one another without varying the spacing of the cutters, a support, means for clamping a heel on said support, and means for moving said cutters into simultaneous engagement with said heel, the movement being in a direction from the back toward the front of the heel.

MERTON W. HOWARD. 

